The invention relates to a locking mechanism. More particularly, it relates to a wedge bar locking mechanism for a casket that has only three principal components.
Wedge bar locking mechanisms are generally known in the art, and are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,439 which is incorporated herein by reference. In a conventional wedge bar locking mechanism, as described in the '439 patent, a wedge bar is threaded at one end to a screw so that as the screw is turned, the wedge bar is caused to move longitudinally so that a series of catches spaced along the length of the wedge bar engage a series of corresponding escutcheons or rollers to pull the lid of the casket tightly closed. In this conventional mechanism, the discrete parts include a wedge bar, a screw, a bracket, and a bronze clip. The bracket is necessary to prevent rotation of the wedge bar, and the clip retains the screw in place in the bracket in order to prevent longitudinal movement of the screw.
While the above-described mechanism has been successful, it suffers from a number of drawbacks. First, both the wedge bar and the bracket require numerous stamping and bending operations in order to provide their complex shapes. Second, the bronze clip must be assembled to the bracket after the screw is inserted into the bracket. Being a separate piece, the clip can come out which may result in failure of the mechanism by permitting longitudinal translation of the screw. Third, the bracket has many complex bends which must conform to particular dimensions, and the slot to accommodate the screw and the bronze clip also must be precisely formed and dimensioned. Fourth, the assembly includes four separate components that must be separately made, contributing to the overall complexity and cost.
There is a need in the art for a wedge bar locking mechanism for a casket where the means for securing the screw in position in the bracket are not prone to detachment from the bracket, thus eliminating a key failure mode of the mechanism. Preferably, such an improved mechanism has fewer than four separate components, and will be simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.